Multi-fuel vehicle strategy

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and enabling apparatus for integrating a new fuel or fuels into an operating transportation system in a continuous, seamless manner. The method disclosed overcomes the economic risk associated with developing a new fuel when there is little or no fuel distribution infrastructure in place for the new fuel. Integrating a new fuel into an existing transportation system can be implemented with two enabling technologies. The first is an engine capable of operating seamlessly on multiple fuels. The second is a system of determining a driving strategy that makes the transition from one fuel to another seamless to the driver. A compact, high-performance gas turbine engine is an enabling apparatus of the above strategy. The system of driving strategy disclosed herein allows the operator of the vehicle or the fleet manager to minimize operational costs by estimating the best combination of fuels, fuel dispensers and driving strategies. By carrying at least one readily available fuel, the operator is free of infrastructure shortcomings for other fuels that may be less expensive or have superior emissions characteristics. The vehicle operator can therefore efficiently manage the use of on-board fuels as well as efficiently manage the driving schedule and route to achieve the lowest overall operating costs.

1 . A method, comprising:
 (a) determining, by a computer, a current spatial location of a vehicle, the vehicle having at least differing first and second fuels for a common engine of the vehicle;   (b) determining, by the computer, at least one of fuel availability, fuel pricing information and routing information for one or more fuel dispensers within a determined range of the vehicle; and   (c) based on the determined at least one of fuel availability, fuel pricing information and routing information, determining, by the computer, a fuel strategy involving at least one of the first and second fuels.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current location is received from a satellite positioning system and further comprising:
 (d) determining at least one of current fuel and engine information for the vehicle, wherein the fuel strategy is based on the determined at least one of current fuel and engine information for the vehicle.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one of current fuel and engine information is current fuel information and comprises a type and amount of fuel in each of first and second fuel tanks of the vehicle, which of the first and second fuels are currently being fed into the engine of the vehicle, a current fuel consumption rate of the engine, and a current injection fuel mixture being fed to the engine. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one of current fuel and engine information is current engine information and comprises current engine temperature, current engine fuel/air ratio, current engine oil pressure, current vehicle velocity and/or acceleration, and current engine power output. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of fuel and pricing information for one or more fuel dispensers comprises one or more of current price for one or more fuels offered by each one or more fuel dispensers, identity and/or location of each one or more fuel dispensers, hours of business and/or products and/or amenities offered by each one or more fuel dispensers, for each one or more fuel dispenser available fuel types and/or fuel replacement cost, directions from the current vehicle location to each one or more fuel dispensers, and a respective link to a web page of each one or more fuel dispensers. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determined fuel strategy is based in part on an applicable emission requirement. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determined fuel strategy comprises one or more of the following:
 (i) which of the first and second fuels will be combusted by the engine;   (ii) a fuel/air ratio to be combusted by the engine;   (iii) a mixture of the first and second fuels to be combusted by the engine;   (iv) an engine setting for the engine;   (v) an identity and/or location of a fuel dispenser to be used by the operator;
 (vi) a fuel specific energy content; and 
   (vii) a fuel ignition characteristic to be employed.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 implementing the determined fuel strategy, wherein implementing requires changing a fuel type and/or mixture being provided to the engine.   
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, perform the steps of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A system, comprising:
 a computer operable to:
 (a) determine a current spatial location of a vehicle, the vehicle having at least differing first and second fuels for a common engine of the vehicle; 
 (b) determine at least one of fuel and pricing information for one or more fuel dispensers within a determined range of the vehicle; and 
 (c) based on the determined at least one of fuel and pricing information, determine a fuel strategy involving at least one of the first and second fuels. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the current location is received from a satellite positioning system and wherein the computer is further operable to:
 (d) determine at least one of current fuel and engine information for the vehicle, wherein the fuel strategy is based on the determined at least one of current fuel and engine information for the vehicle.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of current fuel and engine information is current fuel information and comprises a type and amount of fuel in each of first and second fuel tanks of the vehicle, which of the first and second fuels are currently being fed into the engine of the vehicle, a current fuel consumption rate of the engine, and a current injection fuel mixture being fed to the engine. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of current fuel and engine information is current engine information and comprises current engine temperature, current engine fuel/air ratio, current engine oil pressure, current vehicle velocity and/or acceleration, and current engine power output. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one of fuel and pricing information for one or more fuel dispensers comprises one or more of current price for one or more fuels offered by each one or more fuel dispensers, identity and/or location of each one or more fuel dispensers, hours of business and/or products and/or amenities offered by each one or more fuel dispensers, for each one or more fuel dispenser available fuel types and/or fuel replacement cost, directions from the current vehicle location to each one or more fuel dispensers, and a respective link to a web page of each one or more fuel dispensers. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the determined fuel strategy is based in part on an applicable emission requirement. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the determined fuel strategy comprises one or more of the following:
 which of the first and second fuels will be combusted by the engine;   a fuel/air ratio to be combusted by the engine;   a mixture of the first and second fuels to be combusted by the engine;   an engine setting for the engine;   an identity and/or location of a fuel dispenser to be used by the operator; and   a fuel specific energy content to be employed.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 implementing the determined fuel strategy, wherein implementing requires changing a fuel type and/or mixture being provided to the engine.   
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 (a) determining, by a computer, a current spatial location of a vehicle comprising a fuel;   (b) determining, by the computer, a plurality of fuel dispensers within a determined range of the current vehicle location;   (c) for each fuel dispenser, determining, by the computer, at least one of a price for the fuel, a fuel consumption, and a cost to drive to the respective fuel dispenser from the current vehicle location; and   (d) presenting, by a computer and to the operator, at least one of the fuel price, the fuel consumption, the driving cost, a recommendation of a fuel dispenser of the plurality of fuel dispensers, and a ranking of at least some of the plurality of fuel dispensers.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the determining step (a) comprises receiving the current spatial location from a satellite positioning system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one of a price for the fuel and a cost to drive to the respective fuel dispenser from the current vehicle location in step (c) is the fuel price. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one of a price for the fuel and a cost to drive to the respective fuel dispenser from the current vehicle location in step (c) is the cost. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one of the fuel price, driving cost, a recommendation of a fuel dispenser of the plurality of fuel dispensers, and a ranking of at least some of the plurality of fuel dispensers is fuel price. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one of the fuel price, driving cost, a recommendation of a fuel dispenser of the plurality of fuel dispensers, and a ranking of at least some of the plurality of fuel dispensers is driving cost. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one of the fuel price, driving cost, a recommendation of a fuel dispenser of the plurality of fuel dispensers, and a ranking of at least some of the plurality of fuel dispensers is the recommendation. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one of the fuel price, driving cost, a recommendation of a fuel dispenser of the plurality of fuel dispensers, and a ranking of at least some of the plurality of fuel dispensers is the ranking 
     
     
         26 . A vehicle, comprising:
 a first fuel in a first fuel tank, the first fuel having an octane rating ranging from about 60 to about 120;   a first fuel in a first fuel tank, the first fuel having a specific energy, expressed as a low heat value, ranging from about 10 million joules per kilogram to about 60 million joules per kilogram;   a second fuel in a second fuel tank, the second fuel having a cetane number from about 10 to about 100;   a second fuel in a second fuel tank, the second fuel having a specific energy, expressed as a low heat value, ranging from about 10 million joules per kilogram to about 60 million joules per kilogram;   one of a turbine and microturbine engine; and   a fuel injection system operable to provide selectively to the engine the first fuel in the substantial absence of the second fuel, the second fuel in the substantial absence of the first fuel, and a mixture of the first and second fuels.   
     
     
         27 . The vehicle of  claim 26 , wherein the first and second fuels are each substantially free of octane enhancers and cetane improvers. 
     
     
         28 . The vehicle of  claim 26 , wherein the first and second fuels primarily include a hydrocarbon other than propane and methane. 
     
     
         29 . A vehicle, comprising:
 a first fuel in a first fuel tank;   a second fuel in a second fuel tank, the first and second fuels having differing compositions;   one of a turbine and microturbine engine; and   a fuel injection system operable to provide selectively to the engine the first fuel in the substantial absence of the second fuel, the second fuel in the substantial absence of the first fuel, and a mixture of the first and second fuels, wherein at least one of the following is true:   (a) a volume of the second fuel tank to the volume of the first fuel tank is in the range of from about 0.3:1 to about 1:1; and   (b) an available fuel energy of the first fuel in the first fuel tank to the second fuel in the second fuel tank is in the range of from about 2.5:1 to about 10:1.   
     
     
         30 . The vehicle of  claim 29 , wherein (a) is true. 
     
     
         31 . The vehicle of  claim 29 , wherein (b) is true. 
     
     
         32 . The vehicle of  claim 29 , wherein the first fuel is at least one of diesel fuel, gasoline and LNG and the second fuel is at least one of CNG, propane, butane and hydrogen. 
     
     
         33 . A method, comprising:
 (a) providing a vehicle, the vehicle carrying first and second fuels, the first fuel being commonly available and the second fuel not being as commonly available as the first fuel and wherein a fuel injection system can provide selectively to a common engine at least one of a selected one of the first and second fuels and a selected combination of the first and second fuels;   (b) determining, by a processor-executable on-board satellite positioning module, a current spatial location of the vehicle;   (c) determining, by the processor, at least one of fuel and pricing information for one or more fuel dispensers within a determined range of the vehicle; and   (d) based on the determined at least one of fuel and pricing information, determining, by the processor, a fuel strategy involving at least one of the first and second fuels.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 determining at least one of current fuel and engine information for the vehicle, wherein the fuel strategy is based on the determined at least one of current fuel and engine information for the vehicle.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one of current fuel and engine information is current fuel information and comprises a type and amount of fuel in each of first and second fuel tanks of the vehicle, which of the first and second fuels are currently being fed into the engine of the vehicle, a current fuel consumption rate of the engine, and a current injection fuel mixture being fed to the engine. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one of current fuel and engine information is current engine information and comprises current engine temperature, current engine revolutions per minute, current engine oil pressure, current vehicle velocity and/or acceleration, and current engine power output. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one of fuel and pricing information for one or more fuel dispensers comprises one or more of current price for one or more fuels offered by each one or more fuel dispensers, identity and/or location of each one or more fuel dispensers, hours of business and/or products and/or amenities offered by each one or more fuel dispensers, for each one or more fuel dispenser available fuel types and/or fuel replacement cost, directions from the current vehicle location to each one or more fuel dispensers, and a respective link to a web page of each one or more fuel dispensers. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the determined fuel strategy is based in part on an applicable emission requirement. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the determined fuel strategy comprises one or more of the following:
 (i) which of the first and second fuels will be combusted by the engine;   (ii) a fuel/air ratio to be combusted by the engine;   (iii) a mixture of the first and second fuels to be combusted by the engine;   (iv) an engine setting for the engine;   (v) an identity and/or location of a fuel dispenser to be used by the operator;
 (vi) a fuel specific energy content; and 
   (vii) a fuel ignition characteristic to be employed.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 implementing the determined fuel strategy, wherein implementing requires changing a fuel type and/or mixture being provided to the engine.   
     
     
         41 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, perform the steps of  claim 33 . 
     
     
         42 . A system, comprising:
 a processor operable to:
 determine a current spatial location of the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a commonly available first fuel and a less commonly available second fuel, a common engine, and a fuel injection system to provide selectively to the engine a selected one of the first and second fuels; and 
   a processor operable to:
 determine at least one of fuel and pricing information for one or more fuel dispensers within a determined range of the vehicle; and 
   based on the determined at least one of fuel and pricing information, determine a fuel strategy involving at least one of the first and second fuels.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the processor is further operable to determine at least one of current fuel and engine information for the vehicle, wherein the fuel strategy is based on the determined at least one of current fuel and engine information for the vehicle. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one of current fuel and engine information is current fuel information and comprises a type and amount of fuel in each of first and second fuel tanks of the vehicle, which of the first and second fuels are currently being fed into the engine of the vehicle, a current fuel consumption rate of the engine, and a current injection fuel mixture being fed to the engine. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one of current fuel and engine information is current engine information and comprises current engine temperature, current engine revolutions per minute, current engine oil pressure, current vehicle velocity and/or acceleration, and current engine power output. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the at least one of fuel and pricing information for one or more fuel dispensers comprises one or more of current price for one or more fuels offered by each one or more fuel dispensers, identity and/or location of each one or more fuel dispensers, hours of business and/or products and/or amenities offered by each one or more fuel dispensers, for each one or more fuel dispenser available fuel types and/or fuel replacement cost, directions from the current vehicle location to each one or more fuel dispensers, and a respective link to a web page of each one or more fuel dispensers. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the determined fuel strategy is based in part on an applicable emission requirement. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the determined fuel strategy comprises one or more of the following:
 which of the first and second fuels will be combusted by the engine;   a fuel/air ratio to be combusted by the engine;   a mixture of the first and second fuels to be combusted by the engine;   an engine setting for the engine;   an identity and/or location of a fuel dispenser to be used by the operator; and   a fuel specific energy content to be employed.   
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
 implement the determined fuel strategy, wherein implementing requires changing a fuel type and/or mixture being provided to the engine.   
     
     
         50 . A method, comprising:
 providing a vehicle, the vehicle carrying first and second fuels, the first fuel being commonly available and the second fuel not being as commonly available as the first fuel and wherein a fuel injection system can provide selectively to a common engine at least one of a selected one of the first and second fuels and a selected combination of the first and second fuels without regard to the cetane number or octane rating of the first and second fuels or a selected combination of the first and second fuels.